Telemotor for steering ships or other uses.



No. 76 9,916- PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904. M. PFATISOHER.

TELEMOTOR FOR STEERING SHIPS OR OTHER USES.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.21, 1900.

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@410 zw'm W8=M No. 769,916. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904. M. PFATISOHER.

TELEMOTOR FOR STEERING SHIPS OR OTHER USES. APPLICATION FILED 1330.21, 1900.

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UNITED STATES Patented September 13, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

MATHIAS PFATISCHER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRO DYNAMIC COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VAN IA.

TELEMOTOR FOR STEERING SHIPS OR OTHER USES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,916, dated September 13, 1904;.

Application filed December 21, 1900. Serial No. 40,638. (No model.)

To all whom, it NWT/Z] concern:

Be it known that I, MATHIAs PFATISCHER, electrical engineer, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful 5 Improvements in Telemotors for Steering Ships or for other Uses IV here it is Desirable to Adjust Apparatus from Some Distance, of which the following is a specification.

Accompanying this specification are draw- IO ings which illustrate the invention as particularly designed and adapted for use in the steering of ships; but the invention is by no means limited to the forms and mechanisms therein shown.

I 5 The object of the invention is to produce apparatus which shall combine a great degree of reliability of action with ease of operation, simplicity of construction, and economy, so far as economy is consistent with these other 2 objects.

The art in which the present invention forms an improvement includes several forms in which apparatus is adjusted from a distance, not by adirect connection, but by a prime mo- 2 5 tor which produces either mechanical move- 4 ment or some other form of energy, and a transmitting apparatus which transmits the energy in a convenient formas for example, by the movement of wire ropes or the movement of water, glycerin, or other fluids through pipes or the fiow of current in an electric circuit to a secondary motor which more directly controls and adjusts the apparatus that is to be adjusted. Examples of such telemotor systems are found in my own earlier United States patents, No. 559,903 and No. 559,904, both dated May 12, 1896.

The present improvement combines, with the apparatus to be adjusted and with the prime motor therefor, suitable means, such as a steering-wheel, for causing the prime motor to start in either direction at will and suitable means for transmitting power de rived from the prime motor and causing it to control and adjust the apparatus to be ad justed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the improvement embodied in a simple form, Fig. 1 showing a portion in section. Fig. 2 is a further development of the same form in which certain additional objects are accomplished.

For the purposes of illustration the invention is shown as designed and adapted to control the rudder r of a ship from the steering- 5 5 wheel or other suitable manual means (6 upon the bridge of the ship.

Considering first Fig. 1, a double-cylinder steam-engine c, with cranks set at ninety degrees and preferably located in the dynamoroom of the ship, is directly connected to drive an electric generator (Z, the field-magnets of which may be excited by a branch circuit g, derived from the circuit of the ships lighting plant it or from any other suitable 5 source. The controlling-valve of the steamengine is directly or indirectly controlled by the hand-wheel a as, for example, by the mechanical connections shown, which comprise a screw-threaded valve-stem Z), which 7 is turned by the hand wheel a, as shown, and an internally screw -threaded sleeve 1', which is mounted to rotate in the fixed bearing 1;, but cannot move longitudinally therein. l/Vhen, therefore, the hand-wheel is turned in one direction or the other, the valvestem 6 is rotated, and thereby screwed up or down within the sleeve 7', so as to adjust the valve in a corresponding direction, and thereby cause the generator (Z to be driven in the same direction. The common shaft of the generator (Z and the engine or prime motor 0 is provided with connections, such as the wormwheel Z and the gearing, as illustrated, for rotating the sleeve ,7' in the direction necessary 5 to thereby adjust the controlling-valve of the engine, so as to bring it to rest. Consequently when the hand-wheel a is turned the engine starts to operate in a direction corresponding to the movement of the hand-wheel and con- 9 tinues to run and operate until the controllingvalve is again closed automatically and the engine stopped by the rotation of the sleeve The rudder 0' may be directly adjusted by the motor a, the field-magnets of which are constantly excited, preferably from the ships lighting-circuit h, and the shaft of the rudder of which may be connected by a worm and worm-wheel sector to turn the rudder. The armatures of the generator d and motor a are connected by a closed circuit. The generator and motor are of the synchronous type in order that as soon as the generator is well started the motor shall operate at a corresponding speed. hen the generator is started by means of the hand-wheel a and the engine or prime motor 0, as described, the motor 0 operates to turn the rudder in a direction and to an extent corresponding to the total movement of the engine 0, and therefore also corresponding to the total adjustment that has been given to the hand-wheel a. By means of this system, therefore, the movements of the Wheel a will be imitated by the rudder exactly. so far as the direction of adjustment is concerned. and very nearly to a proportional or corresponding extent. I/Vhile starting up the motor may lag behind the generator a few revolutions. To prevent any possibility of the rudder being adjusted or turned beyond its proper limit of movement, an emergency or stopping device is provided at f, consisting of a switcharm connected to turn With the rudder,which moves along interposed contacts in the circuit of the field-magnet coils of the generator (Z or motor 0, or both, as shown, so as to break the circuit when the rudder moves to its desired limit of motion in either direction.

In Fig. 2 some additional features and also some preferred modifications are shown. The rotary sleeve 1' is not driven directly from the generator 0, but bymeans of a separate synchronous motor 79, the field-magnet coils of which should be constantly excited and the armature of which is in synchronous connection with the armature of the motor a, which actuates the Worm and Worm-Wheel sector on of the rudder 9. moves in exact correspondence with the movement of the rudder. An indicators, driven by a similar synchronously-connected motor q and placed upon the bridge or immediately above the steering-wheel (4, indicates accurately the position of the rudder. The generator (2 may be connected by the circuit 6' to drive the motor 6 without any regard to synchronism, because the engine 0 will be stopped by the motor 19 only when the rudder has reached the desired position corresponding to the movement that has been given to the wheel a, and it would not matter whether the engine 0 and the generator d made many more turns than the motor 6.

'The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is as follows: Supposing the rudder is central and it is desired to turn the ships head to starboard, the wheel a is turned in the proper direction, and thereupon the control ling-valve of the engine is opened and the engine drives the generator d, sending current.

through the circuit 6' and simultaneously acl Consequently the sleeve 1' tuating the three synchronously-connected motors e, p, and g. This causes the rudder to turn to starboardthat is to say, the helm going to port and the ships head to starboard. This movement of the rudder continues until the motor 1], turning the screw-sleeve], shuts the controlling-valve. Meanwhile the indidicators has shown the position that the rudder has reached. If the steering-wheel a, is turned farther in the same direction, the rudder will go still farther to starboard until the engine is again brought to rest. In other words, the rudder and its indicator 8 follow the movement of the Wheel a. When the ships head is swung sufficiently, the steeringwheel is turned back to its initial position to bring the rudder amidships. Similarly, the wheel may be turned to bring the ship to port, the operation being in all respects similar, but merely in a reverse direction than that required for starboard. In Fig. 2 it is also shown that a pilot-light tmay be provided for illuminating the indicators. The circuit of this lamp may be through the safety-switch f, so that if the' rudder is turned too far in one direction or the other the lamp 2. will go out and notify the steersman accordingly. Any number of similar indicators 8 may be placed at different parts of the shipfor example, in the captains and the chief engineers cabins.

While the foregoing description and drawings have set forth the invention as applied particularly to the steering of a ship and the transmission of the power from the prime motor c to the rudder mechanism by electricity, I of course contemplate the use of the invention in a similar manner for training guns, controlling search-lights and signals, operating electric cranes and derricks, and for a great many other uses which will be apparent to engineers skilled in the related art. It is also obvious that under some conditions, though I believe With less advantage, hydraulic transmission, rope transmission, and other means of transmitting energy from one point to another may be employed in place of electric transmission.

By the term motors Where used alone I do not mean to limit the sense to electric motors unless the context requires it.

The characteristic features that I claim as novel, and desire to secure in order to fully protect my invention, are the following:

1. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, an electric motor for adjusting it, an

electric generator connected to actuate the Will, and an electric motor synchronously connected with the said motor and having positively-actuated connections for stopping the adjusting operation, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, an electric motor for adjusting it, an electric generator connected to actuate the motor, means for starting the generator at will, and an indicating device and motor therefor connected synchronously with the said motor for indicating the adjustment, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, an electric motor for adjusting it, an electric generator connected to actuate the motor, means for starting the generator at will in either direction, means for automatically stopping the adjustment, and a safetyswitch connected in circuit for stopping the adjustment at a fixed limit, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, an electric motor for adjusting it, an electric generator connected to synchronously operate with the said motor, means for starting the generator at will, and means connected to be actuated with the motor for stopping the generator, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, and with a prime valved motor therefor, means for adjusting the valve of the motor to start it, electrical means for converting and transmitting energy therefrom, a second motor connected to be actuated by the said transmitted energy for adjusting the said apparatus to be adjusted, and automatic means for positively readjusting the said valve to stop the said valved motor, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, and with a prime valved motor therefor, means for adjusting the valve of the motor to start it, electrical means for converting and transmitting energy therefrom, a second motor connected to be actuated by the said transmitted energy for adjusting the said apparatus to be adjusted, and means for readjusting said valve substantially synchronously with the movement of the said apparatus, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, and with a prime valved motortherefor, means for adjusting the valve of the motor to start it, means for converting and transmitting energy therefrom, a second motor connected to be actuated by the said transmitted energy for adjusting the said apparatus to be adjusted, and a third motor connected to be actuated simultaneously with the said second motor, and positively connected to adjust the said valve to stop the said valved motor, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, and with a prime valved motor therefor, means for adjusting the valve of the motor to start it, means for converting and transmitting energy therefrom, a second motor connected to be actuated by the said transmitted energy for adjusting the said apparatus to be adjusted, and a third motor connected to be actuated simultaneously with the said apparatus to be adjusted, and an indicating device controlled thereby, substantially as set forth.

10. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted from a distance, a prime motor therefor, electrical means for transmitting motion from the motor to the said apparatus to be adjusted, a manually-actuated mechanism for starting and controlling the direction of operation of the said motor, and positively-aeting means actuated, at least indirectly, by the motor for stopping it, substantially as set forth.

11. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, an electric motor for adjusting it, an electric generator connected to actuate the motor; means for stopping the generator, and means positively actuated synchronously with the motor for operating said stopping means.

12. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, an electric motor for adjusting it, an electric generator connected to actuate the motor, means for starting the generator at will, means for stopping the generator, and a second electric motor connected to the generator and actuated synchronously with said first-named motor for positively actuatingsaid stopping means.

13. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, a prime motor, an electric generator driven by said prime motor, an electric motor connected to said generator for adjusting said apparatus, a second electric motor connected to said generator, and a positively-actuated connection between said second electric motor and said prime motor for stopping the latter.

let. In combination with apparatus to be adjusted, a prime .motor adapted to produce rotation in either direction, an electric generator driven by said prime motor, electric motors connected to said generator for synchronous operation thereby, means on one of said motors for adjusting said apparatus,and means on another of said motors and positively connected with said prime motor for stopping the latter.

Signed this 5th day of December, 1900, at Philadelphia.

HATHIAS PFATISGHER.

Vitnesses:

A. P. RUTHERFORD, H. B. RUTHERFORD. 

